Three East Gadsden High School Jaguars signed with college football teams last week.

In a ceremony held at the school, Derrick Kelly, offensive lineman, signed with Florida State University; JaJuan Perkins, defensive back, signed with Charleston Southern University; and Geomarey Smith, offensive lineman signed with Valdosta State.

Kelly said playing for FSU was a dream come true for him. “I was excited and I told him I was overwhelmed,” Kelly said when he got the call from FSU Coach Jimbo Fisher.

Kelly had multiple offers including LSU and Florida but said he grew up an FSU fan and wanted to play there since he was small. “I was blessed to be chosen,” he said.

Perkins said about being signed by Charleston Southern University that they had shown him “much love” when he visited the school and that was part of the reason he chose the school. After he met some of the other teammates, he said they bonded immediately.

He was also told, he said, that they needed defensive backs and he may have an opportunity to start as a freshman.

Smith said that signing with Valdosta State after all of the recruiting during the last two years has now set the stage for him to have a home for the next four years.

He said that he will be playing outside linebacker. The best part of the process, he said, was signing the papers and getting out of high school.